I have been noticing something that both troubles and excites me in Los Angeles. There is definitely a resurregence in development starting to take hold across the city, but it's a quiet start - almost a low rumble.
I am happy to see a return in productivity and view this bit of job growth as good for our tax base, but I'm growing concerned that the trend we saw before 2008 will continue. That is, development for the sake of development and without concern for how it fits within the community.
When a building is created, it must serve the community. We're blessed in LA to have hundreds of micro-cosmos of culture. You can leave your neighborhood and travel the entire world by crossing our city and that blessing must be preserved.
Our political leaders need to pay close attention to this resurgence in development. They are the stewards of policy and must protect the vibrancy of Los Angeles. We can't afford to destroy the many cultures of our unique neighborhoods; from the tree-lined, All-American ideal of the Pacific Palisades to the funky local shops in Echo Park.
Not to sound too alarmist, but our city's character is at stake. There's a local election this March. We need our elected representatives in city council and the mayor's office to respect the different priorities of our neighborhoods. Density doesn't belong everywhere just as single family housing doesn't suit everyone.
The bottom line is, we need stewards of local policy, not one-size fits all. If development occurs, it must serve the community in which it exists or it destroys the neighborhood.
